JLC3DP Blog

Plastics

Choosing the Right ESD Filament for Your Application

Introduction Somewhere in an electronics assembly facility right now, someone is printing a fixture on a desktop 3D printer using standard PLA. It looks fine. It fits the board. And every time a PCB gets placed in it, static charge builds on that perfectly smooth, perfectly insulating plastic surface, right next to components sensitive to discharges that humans can't even feel. ESD filament exists specifically for this problem. It's not a premium upgrade to standard filament. It's a different material......

Jul 14, 2026

Software & Tools

Beginner's Guide to Designing Printable 3D Models

Key Takeaways The file is the hard part: A model that looks perfect on screen can fail on the printer if geometry is open, walls are too thin, or units are wrong. Pick the workflow before the software: Functional parts need parametric CAD, organic models need mesh/sculpting, and simple items suit browser-based tools. Printability is a design step: Fix non-manifold geometry, close meshes, merge intersecting bodies, and meet minimum wall thickness before exporting. Export and verify carefully: Choose ST......

Jul 11, 2026

Plastics

ESD Plastic Materials: A Practical Guide for Engineers

Key Takeaways ESD plastic controls charge: It uses conductive or dissipative additives to let static charge flow away safely instead of building to a damaging discharge. Three categories by resistivity: Conductive (<10⁵ Ω/sq), static dissipative (10⁵–10⁹ Ω/sq), and anti-static (10⁹–10¹² Ω/sq) each serve different roles. Static dissipative is the usual target: Most electronics handling fixtures use the 10⁶–10⁸ Ω/sq range for controlled, non-damaging dissipation. Match material to the full application: ......

Jul 11, 2026

Software & Tools

How to Design 3D Models for Printing

Key Takeaways Failures start in the file: Most 3D printing problems are design problems, not printer problems, and they can be prevented in CAD. Design for the process: FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF, and metal printing each impose different constraints on wall thickness, supports, and tolerances. Plan geometry deliberately: Meet minimum wall thickness, avoid unsupported features, reduce overhangs, and design stable bases. Tolerances are mandatory: Mating parts need designed-in clearance because 3D printing adds ......

Jul 11, 2026

Plastics

Why Use PEEK 3D Printing? Benefits, Applications & Challenges

Most engineering materials get chosen because they're available, familiar, or cheap. PEEK gets chosen because nothing else works. When an engineer specifies PEEK 3D printing, it's almost always because the part needs to survive conditions that would disqualify every other plastic on the shortlist, sustained heat above 200℃, aggressive chemicals, sterilization cycles, or mechanical loads that other polymers handle poorly over time. PEEK 3D printed parts aren't “prototype outputs”. They're functional en......

Jul 02, 2026

Creative Projects

How 3D Printing Makes Complex Jewelry Design More Accessible

For jewelers and designers, bringing incredibly detailed and custom visions to life is paramount. Traditional jewelry making often involves careful handcrafting or complex mold-making processes. Today, 3d printed jewelry techniques are providing powerful new ways to design and produce pieces, from initial concepts to finished items, addressing key industry needs for precision, customization, and efficiency. How 3D Printing is Improving Jewelry Design and Manufacturing 3D printers at JLC3DP The core ad......

Jun 30, 2026